In a statement, The X Factor said: "We can confirm that Tom Bleasby has chosen to withdraw from the competition due to personal reasons."

Bleasby explained why he decided to quit to the official X Factor website at ITV.com.

"It was a tough decision, I think I really discovered it at the six chair challenge," he said. "I just don't know if I felt vocally ready to take on the competition and the pressure."

He added: "I'm quite a relatively new singer, back in March, I was singing in my bedroom, so I've never took to live performing very well. I'm still discovering myself and in the competition, there are some amazing singers and I feel like I need more time to get better myself, as I don't feel like I'm strong enough."

Bleasby continued: "Moving forward, without being 100%, would have been selfish on my part because I would have stopped someone else who was at 100% vocally from going further in the competition. Hopefully given time, I could get there with more time to grow artistically and vocally."

The young singer praised BBC Radio One's Grimshaw as a "fantastic" mentor, and thanked those who had backed him since his first audition back in August.

"Nick was incredible, he was so supportive and for him to give me a chair was a huge boost of faith," Bleasby said.

"It was just an amazing feeling, but I was still having the doubts about myself and I didn't want to be in the competition when I was having those doubts because I would have just sunk. Nick is a fantastic mentor and I really want to thank him for all his support."

The X Factor will confirm what will happen now with the boys category and Judges' Houses soon.

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